Pokémon Homecoming | A Galar Fanfiction

Chapter 76: Scientist Vs. Scientist

In the seconds Abbey took to wish Leon good luck, Lovrina sent out two Pokémon: Slurpuff and Froslass. He confirmed they were Shadow Pokémon. Cinderace trotted to face them.

'Alfie had six. She probably has, too...'

He was reluctant to leave her. 'Shout me if you need help.'

To Abbey's surprise, though Lovrina could have commanded her Pokémon to attack without waiting for her turn, she did not. She waited until Abbey chose her second Pokémon, Lycanroc. Maybe it was a distraction tactic...

Cinderace was prepared to kick Pyro Ball at Froslass. The Ice-type was sent spinning past its Trainer. It used Destiny Bond, hoping to take Cinderace down with it when it fainted on the next turn. But she's not going to faint... I'm going to catch her. Lycanroc leapt to slam Slurpuff with Iron Head. It rolled away, but promptly came rolling back, gathering speed as it gathered billowing shadow. Brutally thumping Lycanroc, it tried to drag it along. With Abbey's encouragement, Lycanroc shook its collar of razor-sharp stones to tear at Slurpuff. Its roll was abruptly ended.

'OK, guys, defend yourselves! We can't knock them out! I'm going to try...'

She reached into her bulging pockets. The Snag Machine still felt awkward, like a bulky metal glove as it seized the Ultra Ball. It beeped to let her know it was ready. She took a deep breath and carefully aimed at Slurpuff. It was sucked in. The ball rocked. Once... twice... then it shattered.

'A Snag Machine?! You are so going to pay for even trying to steal my Pokémon!'

Lycanroc dodged Frosslass' Will-O-Wisp. Cinderace expertly turned its foot to kick Slurpuff back to Lovrina. Abbey threw another Ultra Ball. Slurpuff instantly broke free. Both opponents targeted Lycanroc. Its weakening legs quivered after it was battered by Shadow Chill and Shadow Break.

'This is oh so boring! Battle me properly!'

'Not until you give Leon's Charizard back!'

She opened her mouth, but the words never came. Abbey aimed at Froslass. The Ultra Ball instantly clicked. Lovrina shrieked. She darted to recover it but it disappeared, sent automatically to Abbey's PC Storage System.

'You not actually trying to pretend you care about them, are you? When you've used and tortured them?'

Lovrina was fixated on the empty space. For a moment, Abbey thought she detected a flicker of guilt in her jade eyes. Then her fists curled. Petulantly stamping her feet, she sent out her own Cinderace. It was different to Slurpuff and Froslass. Violet coils glowed in its merciless eyes. It wasn't shiny, but its grey fur was tinted purple. Abbey shuddered. It reminded her of XD001, Lovrina's masterpiece – the Shadow Lugia now owned by Michael, thought impossible to purify. Whatever she did to Lugia, she'd refined the process and subjected this Cinderace to it... and Abbey had a sickening feeling she chose Cinderace for a reason. Commanding Lycanroc to use Stone Edge, she used her Cinderace's turn to catch Slurpuff. The Ultra Ball clicked, but Stone Edge never landed. Lovrina's Cinderace was faster. The ball of black flames it gathered engulfed Lycanroc. It fainted. Abbey's Cinderace leapt to protect its Trainer when its Shadow counterpart lunged. It was equally strong. Lovrina clearly trained it well before stunting its growth... but Abbey's Cinderace had experience on its side. It broke free of a headlock to hurl its opponent over its shoulder. The seething Shadow Pokémon stepped back.

Abbey sent out Garchomp. Lovrina's hand, dithering over an Ultra Ball and Love Ball, trembled. Did she feel guilty...? It was as if she remembered something unsettling. Abbey, too, remembered something – that she had seen Lovrina, once, before the science prize when Alfie took her to Orre Colosseum. She defeated the legendary Trainer Eagun. There was genuine glee in her eyes when she told reporters she hoped to join Orre's planned Elite Four. Abbey knew what happened... Alfie. Or Nolan. He was with Alfie that day...